1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dispenser. More particularly, the present invention relates to a refillable dispenser for replacing a standard roll of toilet tissue on a standard pre-existing roll-type toilet-tissue holder with a roll of selectively dispensable pre-moistened wipes replaceably contained therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The configuration of the pertinent components of a standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1 with a standard roll of toilet tissue 2 thereon can best be seen in FIG. 1, and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto for their critical relevance to the present invention.
The standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1 comprises a pair of posts 3. Each post of the pair of posts 3 of the standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1 has a proximal end 4 that attaches to a wall 5 and a distal end 6 that extends away from the wall 5.
The pair of posts 3 of the standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1 are substantially parallel and spaced approximately 13 cm apart, and extend substantially perpendicularly from the wall 5.
The apparatus for attaching the pair of posts 3 of the standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1 to the wall 5 varies, but is of no relevance to the discussion of the present invention.
The standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1 further comprises a spindle 7 that has a diameter of approximately 2.5 cm. The spindle 7 of the standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1 extends from the distal end 6 of one post of the pair of posts 3 of the standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1, to the distal end 6 of the other post of the pair of posts 3 of the standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1, with at least one end of the spindle 7 of the standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1 being replaceably mounted to the distal end 6 of an associated post of the pair of posts 3 of the standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1 so as to allow the spindle 7 of the standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1 to be removed and placed through the standard roll of toilet tissue 2.
The standard roll of toilet tissue 2 is approximately 11 cm in length and has a hollow axial core 7 with a diameter of approximately 4.5 cm so as to allow the standard roll of toilet tissue 2 to rotate freely on the spindle 7 of the standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder 1.
An assortment of devices have been proposed for dispensing pre-moistened towelettes. In such devices, a supply of the moist towelettes is normally retained in a sealed container, protected from exposure to open air to prevent evaporation of the moisture and drying of the towelette. The toilettes are withdrawn from the receptacle for use.
Many uses for pre-moistened wipes have been identified for the home and commercial environment, but experience with the aging population of gastroenterological patients over recent years has demonstrated a continuing and pressing need for a pre-moistened wipe dispenser for use in personal hygiene that can be conveniently installed for regular use. The products currently available in the art do not meet this need, because they are not convenient enough to encourage regular use by those individuals and patients who most need them.
Numerous innovations for dispensers have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purpose. to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention in that they are not designed to conveniently and immediately replace a standard roll of toilet paper in a bathroom with a roll of pre-moistened wipes, without any modification to the standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder.
FOR EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 573,563 to Yeakel teaches a casing having a closed and an open end and a longitudinally-extending slot with a widened end, a spool-holding spindle secured to the closed end, a cap for the open end of the casing, a cutter on the cap, and a spring on the spindle, adapted to press the spool in the direction toward the cutter, the widened end of the slot being adjacent to the cutter.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,806,738 to Tsakalas teaches a dispenser for a roll of paper. The dispenser comprises a casing having a cylindrical side wall, an end wall and an opening opposite to the end wall, the cylindrical side wall having overlapping spaced portions defining a passage through which the paper is adapted to be withdrawn, a closure operatively connected to the casing and adapted to close the open end of the casing, the closure having an inner surface which forms a stop for the roll of paper preventing its movement in one direction in the casing, a hollow spindle attached to the wall of the casing on which the roll of paper is adapted to be mounted for rotation, the hollow spindle having apertures, a valve adapted to register with the apertures in order to control the effective size thereof, the valve having a chamber in which to accommodate a deodorant.
STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,879,932 to McCachren teaches a holder for a roll of sheet material comprising a support engaging portion, an L-shaped releasing arm hingedly secured to the support engaging portion, the support engaging portion and the releasing arm having companion roll supporting elements, an upstanding bracket carried by the releasing arm for engagement by an operator to swing the releasing arm away from a roll of sheet material normally supported by the support engaging portions and the releasing arm to swing the roll supporting element of the releasing arm out of engagement with a roll supported thereby for removal or replacement of the roll. The L-shaped releasing arm is hingedly connected to the engaging portion at a point intermediate the lateral surface of the roll thereby providing forward aligned edges for facilitating the tearing of sheets of material from the roll when a sheet is pulled against the forward aligned edges.
YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,472,634 to Sloan teaches a device for holding a roll of sheet material having a axial opening, a container having a cylindrical wall and two ends, one end comprising a cap telescoping with the wall, a hub on each of the ends fitting in the opening, and cam means on the cap and wall for clamping the roll between the ends. The cam means has a surface which inclines axially of the roll to draw the ends together by turning the cap from unclamped to clamped position. The means comprises cams distributed around the wall and cam followers on the cap, with the cap being flexible, so that the followers can snap over the cams.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,017 to Harrison teaches a dispenser for a treated perforated tissue web, wherein the dispenser is provided with an opening for extraction of the web from the dispenser. The opening has associated therewith an interior flap which normally all but closes the opening through which the web is withdrawn thereby providing sufficient tension on the web to cause it to tear off at the perforations. A variation includes a form in which the flap is such that it completely closes and overlaps the opening in the dispenser forcing the web to travel in a tortuous path.
YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,417 to Boedecker teaches a dispenser for pre-moistened towelettes comprising a container having a cavity, and opening means for passage of the towelettes from the cavity toward the outside of the container. The dispenser has a supply of pre-moistened absorbent material disposed in the container cavity. The dispenser also has a floating barrier movably positioned in the cavity intermediate the supply and the opening means, with the barrier having aperture means for passage of the supply through the barrier to the opening means.
The dispenser, however, is of a generally rectangular box-like shape and is therefore unsuited for fitting over a standard toilet roll holder.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,582 to Douglas teaches a dispensing package that comprises a toroidal container body enclosing a coreless rolled web of moisture absorbent material having free rotation about the axis of the body on body side wall areas of reduced diameter at opposite ends of a liquid reservoir. The leading end of the web is drawn through a longitudinal slot in a body side wall extending the full width of the web and through upper and lower flange lips defining with the slot a dispensing passage.
Even though a dispensing opening is provided in the side of the container, it is not designed, however, for mounting on a central dowel.
YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,687 to Boone teaches a compact device easily attached by sliding it onto one post of a standard roll-type toilet-tissue holder for positioning a container of a material particularly usable for health care or personal hygiene purposes at the location, e.g., a material such as pre-wetted or self-wetting sheets, an encapsulated liquid, a pressurized liquid, etc., and holding the container in a given manner pending or during its usage.
The device is intended for use in addition to the dry toilet roll, however, and does not replace the standard roll, because the container is not designed for fitting on the toilet paper roll holder dowel.
If the gastroenterological patient is willing to maintain both a normal toilet roll and the adjacent wipe dispenser described by Boone in every area of his environment to insure availability of the necessary personal hygiene, then Boone's container would meet the personal hygiene needs of such patients adequately.
Unfortunately, the typical patient will not reliably adjust his routine to use such a custom installation and will not reliably make the extra effort needed to maintain two separate personal hygiene dispensing arrangements in every area of his environment. Because of the inconvenience, the typical patient may suffer additional medical problems resulting from personal hygiene inadequate for his medical condition.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,926 to Wegner teaches a container and dispenser for a rolled sheet of gauze material which permits a user to dispense a selected length of gauze without touching the surface of the gauze during the dispensing operation, and which prevents the dispensing of additional gauze at other times.
YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,616 to Boone teaches a device readily attachable to a standard toilet-tissue dispenser of a roll type for positioning adjacent thereto in visual alignment supplemental material such as a container of pre-wetted toilet sheets. The sheets are manually withdrawable from an aperture which is held firmly at a fixed position to assure their ready withdrawal and consistent location.
The device is intended for use in addition to the dry toilet roll, however, and does not replace the standard roll, because the container is not designed for fitting on the toilet paper roll holder dowel.
If the gastroenterological patient is willing to maintain both a normal toilet roll and the adjacent wipe dispenser described by Boone in every area of his environment to insure availability of the necessary personal hygiene, then Boone's container would meet the personal hygiene needs or such patients adequately.
Unfortunately, the typical patient will not reliably adjust his routine to use such a custom installation and will not reliably make the extra effort needed to maintain two separate personal hygiene dispensing arrangements in every area of his environment. Because of the inconvenience, the typical patient may suffer additional medical problems resulting from personal hygiene inadequate for his medical condition.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,617 to Boone teaches a unitary multipurpose bathroom fixture for making available both conventional dry sheets of toilet-tissue from a roll carried by a spindle component and supplemental pre-moistened sheets from a container component. A first fastening means, exclusively serving an engaging purpose, is integral with portions supporting the spindle component. A second fastening means, also exclusively serving an engaging function, is integral with the container component. The two fastening means are adapted to effect a firm engagement with one another and thus to provide the unitary fixture. Also, included are means for determining the direction of withdrawal of the pre-moistened sheets to insure their individual availability and to prevent dislodgement or the container. Other means relate to convenience and economy in supplying the pre-moistened sheets.
YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,507 to Margulies teaches a dispensing closure for closing an end of a canister containing dispensable articles that includes a top adapted to fit over an open end of a canister. The top has depending therefrom an integral peripheral axial flange. The top has therein a dispensing opening and a slit connected with the dispensing opening. The closure may be originally provided with the dispensing opening, or alternatively, the closure may be originally provided with a tear-out member which is removed by the consumer to form the dispensing opening. The dispensing opening and slit may be formed directly in the top, or alternatively, the top may have a recess defined by a bottom wall and a side wall, with the dispensing opening and slit being formed in the bottom wall of the recess. A lid is selectively movable between a first position covering the top or fitted within the recess and a second position removed from the top or recess. The lid includes a first portion adapted to cover the tear-out member or the dispensing opening when the lid is in the first position thereof. The lid includes a second portion adapted to cover the slit when the lid is in the first position thereof. The second portion of the lid is integrally but flexibly connected to the first portion of the lid, such that when the lid is in the first position thereof the second portion of the lid is selectively pivotable with respect to the first portion of the lid away from the top, thereby to uncover the slit.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,801 to Origuchi teaches a construction for holding a bag-shaped or sheet-shaped continuous plastic film. In this holding construction, the plastic film is folded in a Z-shaped manner, such that linear cuts formed in the continuous plastic film are accurately superposed on one another, and at least portions of insert members are inserted into the plastic film or the insert members are entirely inserted through the plastic film so as to retain the plastic film in a bundled stated. If one end portion of the film is drawn out, then a section of a predetermined length of the film is torn off along the linear cut or cuts by means of the insert members, and when the section of the film is torn off, an end portion of the succeeding, i.e. second section of the film, is automatically drawn out to a position corresponding to the position where the end portion of the first section of the film was initially positioned, through the action of connecting portions other than the linear cut or cuts, so that the construction, in which the plastic film can be easily used one section after another in the same manner as is the pop-up takeout method of tissue paper, can be obtained.
YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,912 to Bonk teaches a towelette dispenser and vapor impervious pouch containing a roll or web of absorbent material, such as non-woven fibrous towelettes pre-moistened with a chemical-containing aqueous or other fluid solution. The pouch is sealed before use to prevent the loss of moisture from the pre-moistened towelette roll and is opened at the point of, and at the time of, first use. A double lid is adapted to provide moisture seal between usages of the pre-moistened towelette, while reducing dehydration of the opened towelette pouch within the dispenser. Feed slit adaptations in the lid provide for selective tearability of individual towelette portions from the roll. The dispenser is adapted to provide a low center of gravity, and the base of the dispenser can cooperatingly engage a wall-type holder. The towelette roll contains a leader adapted for ease of feeding through the feed slot upon first use. The web may be folded parallel to the longitudinal axis to provide larger towelettes and improve ease of withdrawal from the dispenser.
Even though the dispenser can be wall-mounted on a suitable holder, it is, however, unsuited for fitting over a standard toilet roll holder dowel.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,442 to Beeken teaches a cylindrical receptacle for holding a winding of sheet material with a hollow core, such as toilet paper or paper towels, that has a central fixed guide member, a sliding guide member, retainers to keep the sliding guide member from disengaging the fixed guide member and to keep the winding from sliding off the sliding guide member, and a cap to close the open end of the cylindrical receptacle. The joining or the cap and receptacle body can be made water proof to keep the contents dry. A hanger can be attached to the closed end of the cylindrical receptacle, so that the open end hangs downward allowing the paper roll to slide out of the cylinder, yet be retained by the sliding member and retainer in such a manner as to allow easy unrolling of the paper roll.
YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,530 to Granger teaches an automatic dispenser for ore-cut Z-folded web materials, wherein the dispenser comprises a holder or support having an orifice through which the web materials are pulled. The orifice has outwardly rounded edges, so that the web can be pulled with unequal pulling forces and from different directions. In some embodiments, the orifice is provided with an obturator having two opening elements that are elastically coupled to one another. The obturator has round edges through which the web passes, wherein one of the edges can be separated from the other.
Even though the dispenser may be mounted on the wall, it will, however, not fit over a standard toilet roll holder dowel.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,028 to Wren teaches a portable dispenser for rolled perforated toilet tissues comprising a base adapted to receive a roll in rotatable condition and an outlet structure comprising a tissue-constricting ring through which the tissue is fed and which provides sufficient friction to prevent back,up of the tissue into the dispenser. A bill-like projection extends outwardly from the bottom of the aperture or ring to assist in breaking the tissues from one another along a line of perforation. A box-like cover fits over the entire assembly to improve aesthetics.
YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,264 to Muscarello teaches an accessory for a conventional toilet tissue roll holder and an integrated dispensing assembly operating on the same principal. Each is adapted to prevent unauthorized access to a toilet tissue roll by a child who might unroll the tissue in an uncontrolled manner. The accessory includes a stationary component in the form of an incomplete cylinder and has a coupling region which is rectangular and flattened and includes a pair of spaced apart elongated apertures. The first component also has a pair of circumferentially extending guides disposed proximate its ends. A movable component is also generally in the form of an incomplete cylinder and includes first and second circumferentially flanges with the respective distances between the guides and the flanges, such as to permit them to slidably cooperate in a manner which permits rotation of the second component coaxially within the first component between alternative protected (closed) and unprotected (open) positions. Securement apparatus for detachably fixing the second component in the protected position is provided. The integral dispensing assembly counterpart further includes, with the stationary component, a rectangular coupling region peripherally extending about the stationary component to permit affixing the assembly to the recessed within a wall.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,317 to Sussman et al. teaches a dispenser for providing access to a plurality of pre-moistened towelettes and having dual orifices covered by a self-sealing lid. A larger recessed orifice in the top side of the container accommodates a smaller opening and both openings are covered by a lid attached to a ledge surrounding the larger recessed orifice perimeter. The lid has approximately the same planar dimensions as the combination planar dimensions of the recess and ledge and is held in a closed position by press fitting under an outer border curbing the perimeter of the outermost edge of the ledge. A removable back panel is provided for ease of refilling prepackaged towelettes in the dispenser, and a second back attachment means is provided for attaching or mounting the dispenser to a flat surface.
Even though the pack may be wall-mounted, it is unsuited, however, for fitting over a standard toilet roll holder dowel.
YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,452 to Pauley teaches a bathroom tissue container, wherein an elongate tubular support member includes an elongate slot therein with a threaded cap securably mounted to the support member overlying the slot. The slot includes a fixed serrated clamp and a movably mounted serrated clamp to either side of the slot to maintain tissue removed from within the container and prevent such tissue from withdrawal into the container. The movable serrated clamp includes a spring-biased cylindrical guide movably mounted relative to an interior wall of the container, adjacent the slot to maintain a smooth presentation of tissue for removal. The threaded closure includes an interior portion of resilient cushion with a smooth polymeric abutment disk to maintain the tissue in alignment with the container and resiliently bias a roll of tissue within the container during use.
FINALLY, STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, German Patent No. 89-025549/04 to Krieger teaches rolls of paper or foils of metal or plastic, e.g. toilet rolls or other rolls of kitchen foil, are stored both for current and for later use not on brackets and bobbins, but by keeping them inside a strip of textile or plastic foil which is attached in a loop by a Velcro(.TM.) fastener to the wall. The two ends are likewise connected and separated by a Velcro(.TM.) fastener.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for dispensers have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
As will be appreciated from the discussion of related art supra, a pre-moistened wipe dispenser suitable for convenient installation in a standard toilet roll holder is unknown in the art.
Experience in the medical profession shows that the patient most in need of the personal hygiene enhancement available from pre-moistened towelettes will not reliably use such towelettes when they are not available from a convenient dispenser requiring no custom installation.
By replacing the standard toilet roll with such a dispenser, the patient is encouraged to adjust the practice of personal hygiene to that required for his medical condition.